Final Fantasy XI: A Trek Through the Desert
by NsShadowSerpent
Summary: Continuing on in their never-ending quest for adventure, five brave young warriors traverse the desolate and lifeless Altepa Desert, seeking out the ever elusive oasis of Rabao. However, desert heat can tire even the most relentless of adventurers...


******Disclaimer:****I don't own Final Fantasy XI. If I did, I'm sure I would have come up with more creative enemies to fight other than just crabs for twenty levels straight.**

**Author's Note:** **Well, hi. NsShadowSerpent here as always.**

**This story was written a very long time ago, when I was much younger. I'm afraid it's most likely not up to par with my current writing, but I've found it to be quite memorable. I originally posted this on my linkshell's forum for my friends, and they got a kick out of it. For old time's sake, I've decided to post it here in its poorly written, unedited glory just to keep the memory close.**

**Title:** **Final Fantasy XI: A Trek Through the Desert**

**Written by:** **NsShadowSerpent**

**Genre:** **Action,** **Adventure, Humor**

**Rating:** **T**

**Warning:** **Nothing important, unless the abuse of a scorpion offends anyone that may be reading.**

**Story Summary:** **Continuing on in their never-ending quest for adventure, five brave young warriors traverse the desolate and lifeless Altepa Desert, seeking out the ever-elusive oasis of Rabao. However, desert heat can tire even the most relentless of adventurers…**

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**FINAL FANTASY XI: A TREK THROUGH THE DESERT**

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A thick sandstorm whipped through the Western Altepa Desert. It was the middle of the day, so the temperature had been pretty high; even for a desolate sand land. The flames of the hot sun burned without relent, and even some of the local cacti were dried up from the intense heat.

A group of five adventurers trudged through the area. It was scorching, and without a doubt one of the worst and hottest days to traverse though the Altepa. Even the scorpions and Antica were pursuing shelter from the heat. It was terrible, and vile, and awful… and… and okay look, it was just really freaking hot okay?

"It's really hot!" a young Hume female dressed in familiar white and red garbs said. She dragged her feet through the sand, groaning and looking as if she would pass out at any second. "Are we almost there, Forsaken?" she asked the black haired Hume ninja, who was walking ahead of a taller Elvaan samurai in front. "My feet are killing me. It's like something is biting me."

"That's because there's a scorpion attached to your foot," the Taru-taru black magician Oki said. She waddled up towards the arthropod to kick it away, despite that it was five times her own size.

"Seriously Ariana, keep walking," said Forsaken to the white clad woman. "We're more than half the way there already." He rubbed his temples, irritated by the long walk and intense heat. The fleeing scorpion kicking up sand as it bolted away from Oki did little to ease the situation.

"Can't we take a break? I don't think I can go on much longer!" Ariana whined, almost a little too over dramatic. "My canteen's out of water too!"

"I need some water myself! My hair frizzes pretty easily in all this heat!" A young Hume thief, Kojack as he was called, pulled out a headband and tied it around his forehead.

"…You've got to be kidding me." Forsaken stopped walking to turn around, crossing his arms with a look of scorn on his face. "I swear we took one like twenty minutes ago…"

The Elvaan samurai remained silent and strode past him, continuing to head to their intended destination.

"C'mon Saken, the lady needs a break." Kojack broke into the conversation, strode next to Forsaken and put a hand on the ninja's shoulder. "We're not in that much of a hurry to Rabao anyway, am I right or am I right?" he said while grinning, hoping to gain some favor. Forsaken shrugged it off, clearly annoyed at the stupidity of his traveling companions.

"Ahh!" A soft thud was heard, and the guys glanced over just in time to see Ariana's bottom connect to the ground.

Forsaken shook his head and sighed.

"Hey, are you alright, Ari?" Kojack asked, kneeling down and offering a hand to help the mage to her feet.

She shook her head. "No… I think that scorpion hurt my ankle, it feels really sore," she said, rubbing the aforementioned area.

Oki sweat-dropped. "Can't you um… I dunno… heal it or something?" she said, hoping that the young woman would somehow remember she possessed such abilities.

Ariana shook her head again. "No… I haven't rested in awhile… If I wasn't so tired, I'm sure I could. Ow… ow…"

Forsaken looked completely beaten, and had his head in his hands. "…Sweet Altana. We can take a damn break here then. You guys are such pansies I swear…"

Kojack grinned. "Aww, that was the nicest thing you've ever said to us! You really do have a heart!"

"…Can you manage to walk to camp at least?" Forsaken asked, ignoring Kojack and his idiotic grin.

Ariana nodded. "Yeah, I can definitely manage that."

"All right then. I don't feel like having to carry you." He uncrossed his arms, and held out some first aid supplies from a pack that he kept for himself while on missions. "This should help," he said, as he handed them to Oki, who began applying it to Ariana's ankle. "We don't need that getting infected and slowing us down even more."

"Huh?" Kojack raised an eyebrow and glanced over at the shinobi. "Is that… concern I hear from you Saken?"

Forsaken eyeballed Kojack and twitched.

"When did he learn that?" asked Oki, still busy dressing Ariana's wound.

"Beats me. I didn't teach it to him!" Kojack laughed, only to have a foot belonging to Forsaken planted to the side of his head. "Ow." He winced.

Oki stood up, finished with the wound. "Okay, done with that." She looked over to Kojack; who was lying on the ground in a smoldering heap, and she shook her head. "Such a retaru…"

Ariana looked around, her brown locks bouncing as she did. "Hey, where's Ashur?" she asked, and as if on cue, the samurai came walking back from where ever he had disappeared to.

"…What are you guys doing?" he asked, speaking as stoic as ever.

"We're camping here for an hour or so, since these losers can't keep up," said Forsaken, pointing to Kojack and Ariana over his shoulders.

Ashur scratched his chin, looking thoughtful in the process. "Hmm. That's cool," he said, nodding a little. "Whenever you guys are done, I'll be in Rabao." He pointed over to a sign a few feet from where the group was camping. 'Welcome to Rabao' it read. He flexed and walked off.

Forsaken turned to face Oki and the others, looking as if he were going to explode.

"I hate you all."

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**FIN**

**Author's Note:** **And that's all folks!**

**Heh, I'd have liked to continue this story, but so many of our former members either left due to real life issues or just retired from the game. **

**I played the Hume Thief character Kojack, my sister-in-law played the Taru-taru Black Mage Oki, my older brother played the ever awesome Hume Ninja Forsaken, and his two friends played the Hume White Mage Ariana, and the Elvaan Samurai Ashur. **

**I really miss those old days wasting so much of my time playing, but they're mostly gone now. Either way, it made me happy knowing that I managed to get a few laughs from them while writing about their characters back in the day. **

**Thanks for reading.**


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